In Jaffa I visited twice. The main population of this capital city adjacent to the cheerful port town, where according to legend, Noah built an ark, — poets, artists, musicians. And of course fishermen. My every stay in an urban area, stretching along the sea, was accompanied by a meeting with representatives of the fishing tribe.
The main gathering place of the local fishermen, separated from the sea by a long breakwater Bay filled with fishing boats, yachts, pleasure boats. The sea here is almost not audible, but does not stop the discordant hum. Tourists are interested in everything: what kind of fish is caught by the local fishermen and Amateurs, what tackle to use and which are prepared from extracted of marine life. The Jewish greeting “Shalom!” without tension rolls off the tongue. I answer the same way. English — second only to the Hebrew language in Israel. Or third. Often, trying something to ask or to explain it in English, I struggled to find the words, strained memory and suddenly heard from the interlocutor: “The say it in Russian!” Immigrants from the former Soviet Union here are found everywhere. And as the fisherman-the fisherman Israeli-Russian (and Ukrainian and Belarusian) sees from afar. The former inhabitant of Odessa Nikolay Yekhanurov for ten years lives in tel Aviv. Everyone is happy. I’m familiar of the sea, and on the bike every weekend he gets to port.
— On the Black sea, — Nikolay speaks, — I was the world’s expert on the production of mullet (here it is “storm” called). And here I do not last. It, by the way, in Israel three types: one is grazing only near the bottom, the other two in the middle layers…
This fish in the sea very much — she’s called a Communist.
It is widely swings the rod, the line fluttering in the air, and float, heavy bread, flying almost in the middle of the Bay. In Israel, as in many Arab countries, very popular pita — a flat bread, which is incised in the middle, and in the resulting pocket is placed on anything: vegetables, meat, fish, sauces. Convenient, delicious and satisfying. Especially for a quick road snack. Sodden remains of the bread I often found on the seafront of Jaffa. As it turned out, the fishermen, notched Pete, turn it inside out, wrapped around the float, aliciau hooks and thrown into the sea. This method of fishing, and the tackle is called malcode.
Nicholas podnachivaet a little fishing line, and immediately around bait that floats on the surface, there are circles, there are spikes, and on all sides fly a splash of silver. Lovers to eat pita bread in the underwater Mediterranean world enough. However, bread revolves around basically a trifle. But the water begins to boil, go jets. This is a big fish. From hard to capture the moment of the bite, rather, work experience and special flair of a fisherman. But anyway, after a couple of minutes already on the hook dangling silver fish. Near crumbs that remain on the surface, while continue circling flocks of fry. Nicholas throws the booty, I think, without much enthusiasm.
— Locus came across, quite small. These “boys” I am a solid customer base deterred. …
At me (or rather, on my loaded bike) pay attention to other fishermen. One with a conspiratorial view of voluminous reaches into the bag and pulls out a large fish, very similar to our perch. “Seabass!” — proudly he exclaims and then takes the trophy back. Another poddevat a net in the bucket dark unprepossessing fish and explains: “She in the sea very much, omnivorous and mischievous creature, and therefore was called a Communist. The slightest prick of the fin — like get an electric shock, the pain is such that jumping in place like a spastic. Even cats run from it”. Solid, with a noticeable paunch uncle, in the traditional Jewish cap — pile, shows (not so much me as the kid standing near you, probably grandson) plastic jar with cut neck, inserted in the previous position, but on the contrary, inside the capacity to get something like vertices. Poured in the jar and crumbs by placing in it a small super-fied on the flashlight, he slowly lowers the rope into the water. The idea is this interesting notion should attract the attention of fish wildlife…
Rybak-Rybak Israeli-Russian sees from afar!
The restaurant, located a few meters from the sea, hear the spine-tingling odors. Here mainly serves fish dishes from the variety of marine life. Including fresh catch, which fishermen bring from the sea. Fish are immediately sorted, and large trophies cut for themselves what to sell.
Any associated with the extraction, processing, cooking fish spectacle takes place in full view of the empty public, who walks along the promenade. You want — look, lyubopytstvo, want — pritsenivayutsya. Every fisherman here a little actor. Not without that. As a cook before the eyes of tourists puts the fish on the rack in the boiling oil. They say that while cooking in bright light fish releases more fat, which gives the finished product a distinctive taste. By the way, the names of the dishes in the restaurant menu written in Hebrew, English and Russian languages. Fried calamari, grilled prawns, Denis, seabass, Bonito, white, lobster, shark steak, barbunya — a Symphony of seafood. I faithfully filled in the names page in your trip diary and let it go at that. Measure every case faith. Even if the case it concerns consumption of fish wildlife. Even though eyes…
The road is rushing me. I mount your iron horse and go further under the beating of wings of great white birds that sit on the masts of the fishing boats, the buoys and the railing (they are almost tame, willing to take the fish out of hands). Unlike European roads in Israel by bike you can travel on any tracks. This, incidentally, is one of the attractive aspects of the journey of the wonderful country. You can set a tent almost anywhere — it’s not a problem. Even in the beach areas of the Mediterranean. And the fire to build. Not the pioneer, of course, and small, for making hot. On the outskirts of Jaffa beach shore studded with spinning rods. Near them podrumyanit at the sun loungers of the fishermen. Ball of the sun slowly sets over the horizon, lighting up the bright frothy shafts that the rows of rolls in the shallow coastal waters. Stay for the night a bit early, and I drove (luckily the sand is beaten by the waves, dense) to the fisherman in black glasses and thrown over the head hood.
— In the surf here and only fishing he says, straightening the bell that hangs on the line. — Fish, as elsewhere, there is and eats. To you it was clear: there are normal fish (crucian carp, and on our way — Denis), which can be caught on any bait, and is tough (tuna or Barracuda) — to get not so simple.
A former carpenter, seventy-year-old Bear London, as he imagined, used to treat life philosophically, with a touch of irony. So taught him the fate of the ancestors, and even your own life in which sorrow and joy were always in half — in Kamenetz-Podolsk, where he used to live here in Israel. Fishing for him is not dependent on the number of fish caught. Little or a lot — it’s neither bad nor good. It’s like there. “Fishing? Yes!” he says with a meaningful Jewish some sadness.
In a pleasant unhurried direction our conversation flows. Periodically, the fisherman with a simple “manly” sounding name and surname periodically tightens the line, jumps up, when suddenly the bell rings, pulls another carp, a pair of scissors neatly cuts off a piece of squid, strung it on a hook and stepped to the sea, a familiar sight backswing throws the bait into the foaming water, then falls into the chair, and we continue to talk about the peculiarities of national fishing.
Local redfin caught here mostly in the surf, and the mullet, too. They can be caught on float tackle, but in the churning frothy water it is difficult to follow the float, and too far to throw, without spinningovye fishing-rods will not do. Catch and Donk. Load up to twenty grams flies away. Two to three leash no longer than ten inches. Nozzle — chicken liver, shrimp (even frozen), the meat is different. With the boat on the ground to catch interesting. It’s all exciting. The climate allows you to go in the sea all year round, but best in March, April, may. Israelis and middle-class usually hire the boat for five or six people, each with fifty dollars. Five times a year you can afford such a pleasure. In the rest of the time with a fishing rod on the beach, in the ports, on the quays.
— You’re walking on the bike, we also sort of play about, — says the interlocutor. — Serious fishing — this is serious money. Everything much more than us… that is you. Not everyone can afford. Especially one who just arrived. Not here for the fishing rod you need to immediately grasp and behind his head. In Israel need some time to live, to learn. The first six months the government helps, then, or swim, or tapes. Well, or take the bait and stay near the sea. So all my life and will stay. There are.
— Also probably an option…
— Yes. What’s your idea, and such Zelezny…
Otherwise it could not end our conversation. Gradually, with the usual melancholy sunset the sea behind him. The sun was sinking in the abyss, and only the red slice could be seen above the horizon. Discordantly quieter and screaming gulls. Low flying military helicopter. Bear London it was time to bale out and I have to pitch a tent…
